Honourable Paul Martin
Honourable Pierre Pettigrew
Prime
Minister of
Canada
Minister of Foreign Affairs
House of
Commons
House of Commons
Parliament
Buildings
Parliament Buildings
Ottawa,
Ontario K1A
0A6
Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0A6
FAX:613-941-6900
Email: [email protected]
FAX:613-996-9607 Email: [email protected]
Re:
Canadian Participation in Ballistic Missile Defence
Dear
Prime Minister Paul Martin - and - Foreign Minister Pierre Pettigrew,
The U.S.
withdrawal from the Anti-Ballistic Missile Treaty in June 2002 has
allowed the Bush administration to commit resources to a multilayered
missile defence system, the first ground-based stage of which is now
being constructed at sites in California and Alaska, and whose clear
purpose, effectiveness and cost remain unknown. Research is progressing
toward the inclusion of a space-based component before the end of this
decade.
Broad
international consensus has been reached that outer space should not be
weaponized but should be used for the benefit of all humanity. Some
Pentagon planners insist that BMD includes planning for weapons in
space. Participation in BMD would undermine the official position of
the government of Canada which firmly opposes such weaponization.
Canadian arms control efforts at the Conference on Disarmament in
Geneva would suffer a "credibility gap."
Canada
has traditionally sought peaceful solutions to conflicts, and without
any credible threat from ballistic missile attack, has no reason to
adhere to a BMD program. Canada best pursues its own security through
strengthening multilateral arms control and non-proliferation regimes
rather than through building missile defences. Canada should urge other
nations to move from a strategic to a humanitarian discourse for global
security. Giving Canadian political support to BMD would strengthen the
U.S. administrationšs resolve in spite of considerable uncertainty and
opposition in the U.S. and around the world.
In
addition, BMD will lessen trust between nations and likely lead other
states to increase their nuclear arsenals. It appears Russia and China
are responding to the U.S. BMD effort with new research and testing of
new generations of offensive nuclear missiles as precautionary measures.
With
or without Canadian participation in BMD there will be a continuing
important role for Canadian contributions to continental aerospace
surveillance through our participation in NORAD, the Canada-U.S. North
American Aerospace Defence Agreement. Canadašs agreement to participate
in BMD is not essential to maintaining strong bilateral relations with
the U.S.
The
Canadian government should respectfully decline involvement in a U.S.
Ballistic Missile Defence system. A decision in favour of the rule of
law and strengthening arms control globally is in Canadašs interest.
Participation in BMD is not.